Hays

What Hays does

Hays plc is a London-headquartered, FTSE 100-listed global specialist recruitment firm founded in 1968, operating approximately 349 offices across 33 countries with its German entity (Hays AG) registered in Mannheim and 25 branch locations. The company matches qualified professionals with employers across twelve specialization areas — including Information Technology, Finance, Engineering, Life Sciences, Construction & Property, Healthcare, Legal, Banking, Procurement, HR, Retail, and Sales & Marketing — serving clients such as Microsoft, Deutsche Telekom, Volkswagen, Bayer, IBM, and Lufthansa alongside a long tail of mid-market and SMB customers.

The core offering is structured around three employment models: Contracting (freelance/project-based placement), Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (temporary staffing where Hays employs the worker and loans them to clients), and Festanstellung (permanent placement via success fees), supplemented by Executive Search for senior leadership roles. These are delivered through a sector-specialized consultant network supported by proprietary technology including the MyTime employee self-service platform, the My Hays candidate portal, the Talentepool candidate database, and the quarterly Fachkräfte-Index market intelligence report. The portfolio has been progressively broadened with managed-service offerings (MSP, VMS, RPO, Workforce Management), specialized verticals in Data & AI, Cyber Security, and Green Business / Sustainability, plus subsidiaries including tribeworks (IT freelancer platform), Emposo (work contracts / IT services), and Mindshore (nearshoring).

Hays makes money through success fees on permanent placements, markup on contractor and temporary-staff hourly rates, and recurring managed-service fees from enterprise programs. Distribution is primarily sales-led via the global branch network and regional sector teams, with self-serve online vacancy submission as a secondary channel for smaller clients. The company is currently navigating a cyclical downturn: H2 2025 operating profit fell 25% YoY to £20.1M, group fees declined 9% YoY, and CEO Dirk Hahn stepped down in February 2026 after 28 years, with Mark Dearnley appointed interim CEO.

Name

Hays

Legal name

Hays plc

Website

https://hays.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Hays plc is a London-headquartered, FTSE 100-listed specialist recruitment firm operating in 33 countries, matching qualified professionals with enterprise and mid-market clients across IT, Finance, Engineering, Life Sciences, and other sectors via permanent placement, temporary staffing, and contracting models.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Recruitment & Staffing Services

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recruiting Administration Outsourcing (Recruitment Support, Scheduling, Onboarding Ops) (BPACAKAG)

Keywords

• Professional recruitment services
• Temporary staffing solutions
• Permanent placement services
• Contract staffing services
• Executive search services

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Personalvermittlung (Permanent Placement): Fee-based permanent placement services where employers pay a success fee upon successful placement of a candidate. The fee structure varies based on position level and compensation.
2. Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (Temporary Staffing): Hays employs candidates directly and assigns them to client companies for temporary periods. Hays handles payroll, benefits, and compliance while the client manages the work.
3. Contracting (Freelancer/Contractor Placement): Freelancers and independent contractors are placed on project-based assignments through Hays, who handles contractual and administrative matters.
4. Executive Search: Senior-level and executive recruitment services for specialized leadership positions in IT, Marketing & Sales, Finance, Banking, and Life Sciences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hays is a global professional recruiting and staffing firm that places qualified specialists, contractors, and executives into client companies across sectors including IT, Finance, Engineering, Life Sciences, Construction & Property, Healthcare, Legal, and Green Business. Its core service portfolio spans three employment models — Contracting (freelance/project-based), Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (temporary staffing/loan workers), and Festanstellung (permanent placement) — supplemented by Executive Search and enterprise workforce solutions such as RPO, MSP, and VMS.

Product overview

Hays is a global recruitment and staffing firm offering a portfolio of talent acquisition and workforce solutions. The core offering spans three employment models: Contracting (freelance/project-based), Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (temporary staffing/loan workers), and Festanstellung (permanent placement), supported by an Executive Search service for senior roles. The portfolio includes specialized add-on modules such as Active Sourcing, Managed Service Provider (MSP), Vendor Management System (VMS), Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), Workforce Management, Data & AI consulting, Cyber Security Services, Sustainability/Green Business consulting, and Diversity Consulting. Ancillary offerings include psychometric testing, compliant sourcing, digital consulting, SME solutions, nearshoring (Mindshore), and expert-level recruiting (Expert Plus). Supporting platforms include MyTime by Hays (employee portal) and My Hays (candidate portal), alongside IT services via Emposo and the tribeworks IT freelancer platform. Hays also publishes research products including the Global Talent Tracker and the quarterly Fachkräfte-Index (Skills Index). The company operates approximately 250 locations in 31 countries and places professionals across 12 specialization areas: Construction & Property, Education, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare, HR, IT, Legal, Life Sciences, Procurement, Retail, and Sales & Marketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyTime by Hays: Employee self-service portal for Hays contractor and employee management.
• Mindshore
• tribeworks

Products and services

• Contracting Freelance project-based staffing offering where contractors sign project agreements with Hays and work on behalf of Hays for clients in time-limited assignments; for clients seeking project-based specialist talent.
• Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (Temporary Staffing) Temporary staffing service where specialists are permanently employed by Hays and loaned to client companies for defined periods, with Hays handling payroll, benefits, and compliance as employer of record.
• Festanstellung (Permanent Placement) Direct placement of candidates into permanent positions at client companies, with Hays handling the full recruitment process on a success-fee basis.
• Executive Search Senior and executive-level recruitment service for leadership positions across IT, Marketing & Sales, Finance, Banking, Life Sciences and other sectors, delivered by Hays' executive search practice.
• Active Sourcing Proactive candidate identification and outreach service targeting passive talent through direct engagement on behalf of client companies.
• Managed Service Provider (MSP) Managed services program for organizations with complex contingent workforce needs, in which Hays oversees multiple staffing suppliers and centralizes contingent workforce operations.
• Vendor Management System (VMS) Technology platform enabling clients to manage and track their contingent workforce suppliers, orders, and contingent labor spending in one place.
• Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) End-to-end outsourced recruitment service where Hays takes ownership of part or all of the client's permanent and contingent hiring process.
• Workforce Management Strategic workforce planning and management solutions for optimizing contingent and permanent staffing across an organization.
• Cyber Security Services Specialized recruitment and staffing services for cybersecurity professionals and cybersecurity project resourcing.
• Nachhaltigkeitsberatung (Sustainability Consulting) ESG and sustainability consulting services that help organizations develop sustainable business practices and build green-business capabilities.
• Lösungen für den Mittelstand (SME Solutions) Tailored recruitment solutions designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (Mittelstand), bundling permanent, temporary, and contracting services for mid-market clients.
• Mindshore (Nearshoring) Nearshoring solutions for placing talent in geographically closer locations to client headquarters, delivered under the Mindshore brand.
• Senior-Fachkräfte finden (Expert Plus) Specialized service for identifying and recruiting highly experienced senior specialists and experts who are not actively looking for new roles.
• Werkverträge & IT Services (Emposo) Work contracts (Werkverträge) and IT services offered through Emposo, a Hays subsidiary, for clients seeking project-based IT delivery.
• tribeworks IT-Freelancer-Plattform IT freelancer marketplace platform operated by Hays for connecting businesses with freelance IT professionals on a project basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every 6.4 minutes, Hays fills a key position in German companies

Named customers10 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Randstad: One of the world's largest staffing companies, operating across permanent, temporary, and outsourced recruitment. Comparable to Hays in multi-country footprint, sector specialization, and enterprise RPO/MSP offerings.
• Kelly Services: Global staffing firm with significant presence in professional/technical segments (Kelly OCG for MSP/RPO). Directly comparable to Hays in workforce solutions and multi-country enterprise services.
• Hays competitor — Michael Page (PageGroup brand): Specialist professional recruitment brand under PageGroup, with strong overlap to Hays in IT, finance, engineering, and life sciences placement across DACH and global markets.
• Adecco Group: Global staffing leader with a broad portfolio across general staffing, professional staffing (Akkodis), and career transition. Direct competitor to Hays in IT, engineering, and professional recruitment across Europe.
• PageGroup: International recruitment firm operating Michael Page and Page Personnel brands across professional disciplines. Highly comparable to Hays in white-collar permanent and contract placement with multi-country reach.
• ManpowerGroup: Global staffing and workforce solutions provider with a strong presence in professional/technical segments (Experis). Overlaps with Hays in IT, engineering, and finance staffing across multiple geographies.
• SThree: Specialist STEM staffing provider (technology, engineering, life sciences) operating brands like Computer Futures and Real Staffing. Closely mirrors Hays' contracting/freelance model and specialist vertical focus.
• Reed Specialist Recruitment: UK-headquartered recruitment firm operating across permanent, temporary, and executive search. Comparable to Hays in sector-spanning specialist recruitment and UK/European footprint.
• Hudson Global: Specialist professional staffing and talent solutions provider with focus on mid-to-senior level placements. Comparable to Hays in niche professional recruitment and RPO offerings.
• Robert Half: Global professional staffing firm specializing in finance, accounting, technology, and administrative placements. Directly comparable to Hays in serving white-collar, professional/specialist talent with permanent and contract models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hays/mycompany
• Xx.com/Hays_dach

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hays